Gaza's young tech freelancers turn laptops into lifelines amid war

Palestinian software engineers and programmers in Gaza are using remote freelance work to earn income despite severe infrastructure damage and ongoing conflict.

In the aftermath of the October 2023 war, Gaza's unemployment has eclipsed 80%, prompting many young professionals to seek remote freelance work as a critical income stream. Makeshift co-working hubs, equipped with generators and solar power, provide the limited connectivity needed for coding, design and app development. Individuals such as 24-year-old software engineer Walaa Volidis and former CTO Tarik Zaeem recount living in tents, coping with damaged equipment, and navigating a crippled banking system that forces them to rely on costly brokers.

Humanitarian organization Mercy Corps and NGOs like TAP facilitate mentorship and client connections, helping workers secure contracts with firms in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Despite frequent airstrikes and the classification of computer parts as “dual-use” items that restrict imports, these freelancers view digital work as a "lifeline" that sustains families and offers a glimpse of economic resilience in a devastated region.